Your IFR planning workflow?

Daddy O
Posts: 450
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:32 am

Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Daddy O »

"receive and read full briefing from DUATs, checking specifically for NOTAMS, TFR's (tfr.faa.gov is not a legal briefing source..if you can believe it), navaid outages, airport/runway closures, double check enroute TAFs and destination TAFS, check PIREPS."
That sux big time. The FAA will really bust you out for flying through a TFR

My weakest link is weather. In AZ we really don't have any weather, and clouds typically start at 15000 feet msl so in most small aircraft like a c152 you can forget about ever flying in real IFR weather.

The easiest job in the world must be weatherman in Arizona. Hell, we can look up and see those altostratus rolling in from the coast and know that we'll get some rain the next day. It's not rocket science.
Keith Smith
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Location: Pompton Plains, NJ
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Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Keith Smith »

Chris,

An update on the use of RUC Soundings. Check out this blog entry for a flight I did yesterday (my IFR currency was going to lapse and I have the big flight coming up next week).

Note the graphic SkewT-log P graphic.
Image

Quick primer:
- 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 lines represent constant temperature (note the angle)
- the wavy red line is the temperature, charted against altitude (shown on the right, 1k, 5k, 10, 15k)
- the wavy blue line is the dew point, charted against altitude. It virtually matches the temp, implying that the temp/dp spread is 0....clouds. Thick, thick clouds in this case
- wind strength and direction are on the far right, showing direction/strength for each altitude

It shows MANY useful things, all in one, compact display:
1) inversion from 2-5k
2) serious shear from east wind to SW wind, at just under 4k, with winds increating to nearly 50kts by 5k
3) tops are above 15k (no divergence of temp and dp in this clipped graphic)

You can also use the tool interactively to determine stability, but that more than I can describe here in 5 mins. Suggest buying the course for that one!

The incredible thing is that you can pull these up for just about everywhere, rather than having to find the nearest METAR/TAF. The computer model is capable of generating these for just about anywhere you need them, based on actual soundings from the balloons they send up a couple of times a day, all over the country. That can give you hour by hour forecasts....just outstanding for same-day planning.
c.b.powell
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by c.b.powell »

Keith, thanks for this! I can see that this is indeed going to be a fine tool. In fact, I'm going up for approach work this evening, I'll be sure to consult the RUC sounding for a little additional intel.

I appreciate the detailed explanation.

Chris
Brad Podd
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:39 pm

Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Brad Podd »

Similar workflow but here's what I do.

- Browse Aviationweather.gov with specific regard to Airmets, Sigmets and freezing levels. Find out where convective and icing activity is going to be. Avoid.
- Figure out where I want to go. Pick my airport and determine whether it is a suitable destination. Does it have a precision or non precision approach? Does the non precision approach require anything beyond a "normal approach to landing." Weather going to be (in three general categories) VFR, IFR or LIFR? Below mins at the airport? If no precision approach at that airport where is the nearest? Is that aligned with the prevailing or forecast wind? What are the runway lengths? Probably just as important is what are the runway widths? Is there terrain? Am I planning on arriving during daylight hours?
- Where is the nearest chunk of good (ie MVFR and higher) weather? Do I have enough fuel capacity to get from my missed approach to the nearest VFR?
- Plot the direct route on skyvector.com
- Determine the first fix (A) and a suitable IAF (B) for the route
- Either plan direct, VOR to VOR or airways navigation from A to B
- Enter a prelim plan on fltplan, file.
- Call briefer, follow along his brief on aviationweather to get a sight picture of the weather. Copy down pertinent stuff that I don't already have in front of me. Visit tfr.faa.gov. Don't forget a raim prediciton.
- Look up amended plan on flightaware
- Make changes in fltplan.com routing to reflect actual plan. Print navlog.
Daddy O
Posts: 450
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:32 am

Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Daddy O »

Dang, that's a lot of stuff. Kieth, do you have a subscription to Sirius waether for your Cirrus? Is it Glass panel? Does it make the planning a lot simpler?
Keith Smith
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Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Keith Smith »

Adam, I fly a Lancair, not a Cirrus. It's steam-gauge with a Garmin 420 GPS/COM. I have no weather capability to speak of, and no handheld Garmin x96. It's something I'm considering for the future to deal with thunderstorm avoidance on longer flights.

Nice flow, BP.
Daddy O
Posts: 450
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:32 am

Re: Your IFR planning workflow?

Post by Daddy O »

Sorry, from your pic on Xplane.org I thought it was a cirrus.

Well, someday when PE takes off and you are the rich CEO, you can get that Garmin or Avidyne for your new aircraft.
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